摘要 |
Disclosed are silica nanoparticles that are suitable as templates for preparing membranes of controlled pore sizes and pore arrangements. The silica nanoparticles have a density of about 1.96 g/cm 3 or less. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such nanoparticles which involves reacting an orthosilicate and an alcohol or a mixture of alcohols in an aqueous medium in the presence of a salt of the metal or a metalloid compound, optionally in combination with ammonium hydroxide, isolating the resulting nanoparticles, and treating the resulting particles with an acid. |